Adjustable flange.



P. MUELLER.

ADJUSTABLE FLANGE. Nfl' APPLICATION FILED APR-8. 1909.

992974. Patented May 23, 1911.

FIG 1.-

m 41 v rat-1937;222:1311? W ATTORNEY .1

. ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PHILIP MUELLER, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE H. MUELLERMANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

ADJUSTABLE FLANGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1911.

Application filed April 8, 1909. Serial No. 488,649.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHILIP MUELLER, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of Illinois,have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in AdjustableFlanges; and my.preferred manner of carrying out the invention is setforth in the following full, clear, and exact description, terminatingwith claims particularly specifying the novelty of the same.

My invention relates to improvements in adjustable flanges and hasparticular relation to that type of these devices most commonly used forthe finishing of a connection passing through a wall or floor aperture,and applicable to bibs, bath or basin cocks, or other suitableconnections.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a flange for thispurpose which has its exterior free from projections or openings, whichmay be readily adjusted lengthwise of the pipe, and which will retainits adjusted position without the necessity of manipulation by theworkman.

A further object is to provide a flange of this type with an annulargroove positioned intermediate the ends of the pipe opening M which isformed therein, said groove being adapted to receive a spring memberhaving its ends adapted to provide a frictional engagement with thepipe, the spring having a normal diameter greater than the diameter ofthe groove in order that the outer periphery of the spring will have aconstant engagement with the bottom of the groove and thereby place amaximum tension on the ends of the'spring to'provide the necessaryfrictional engagement with the pipe.

Other objects are to provide a structure which is sanitary, which willprotect the gripping member, which is neat and attractive in appearance,and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

To these and other ends, the nature of which will be readily understoodas the invention is hereinafter disclosed, said invention consists inthe improved construction and combination of parts hereinafter fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference charactersindicate similar parts in each of the views, Figure 1 is a view inelevation of my improved flange positioned on a pipe. Fig. 2 is asectional View of the flange positioned on a pipe the view showing theflange in an adjusted position in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an end view ofthe flange, the spring being partially shown in dotted lines. Fig. 4 isan elevation of the spring. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of partsshown in Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale. Referring to the drawings, adesignates the flange body which, in the instance shown in the drawings,is fitted upon a pipe section b. The flange has its exterior imperforatewith the exception of the opening or aperture as through which the pipe6 is passed. The flange is provided with a wall face a which is adaptedto be passed into contact with the face of the wall through which thepipe I) is passed. The body a is also provided with an annular groove mopen to the aperture w, the bottom of the groove being substantiallyconcentric with the plane of the periphery of the aperture, said groovebeing positioned intermediate the ends of the aperture. The groove isadapted to receive a spring member Z formed of one or more convolutionsof coiled material (the coil or coils of the member having approximateaxial co-incidence with the axis of the groove), the diameter of thespring member being slightly greater than the diameter of the bottom ofthe groove m, thereby requiring a compression of the spring to permitits introduction into the groove, and retaining the spring member undera slight compression while Within the groove, thereby placing africtional engagement of the outer periphery of the spring member andthe bottom of the groove which serves to tend to prevent a free annularmovement of the flange on the pipe, and at the same time tends to causethe free ends of the spring member to extend inwardly, as indicated inFig. 3, to reduce the normal diameter of the interior of the springmember, the ends 0 being bent inwardly to a slight degree for thispurpose.

As will be readily understood the spring member is almost entirelylocated within the annular groove m, the only projecting portions beingthe ends 0, and as the groove is located intermediate the ends of theaperture w, the spring member will be retained against movement axiallyof the flange,

V sive points in the length of said member.

In use, the flange is slipped over the pipe 6 to a position away fromthat in which it is intended to be normally used, after which the pipeis properly connected up, as by the use of the threaded end 6, afterwhich the flange is simply moved longitudinally of the pipe into contactwith the face of the Wall in which the pipe aperture is located. Theends 0 of the spring are sufficiently yieldable radially to permit ofthis longitudinal movement of the flange, but said ends are sufficientlyresilient to provide for a firm frictional engagement of the ends andthe pipe to retain the flange against longitudi nal movement. Asheretofore pointed out, the frictional engagement of the outer peripheryof the spring with the bottom of the groove tends to prevent rotativemovement of the flange on the pipe section or connection.

The advantages of this construction are believed to be clear from theabove, and it is necessary only to add that by the construction shownthe exposed exterior of the flange is entirely imperforate, requires theuse of no adjusting means, such as a set screw, for the purpose offixing the position of the flange relative to the pipe connection,requires no securing in position of the spring member within the groove,the latter retaining its approximatenormal and initial shape andconfiguration at all times, and is removable from' the groove and issettable therein with ease and rapidity.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is-

1. As an article of manufacture, a flange having an aperturetherethrough adapted to receive a pipe member, said flange also havingashallow annular groove positioned in termediate the ends of theaperture, the

plane of the bottom of the groove being substantially concentric withthe plane of the aperture wall and of substantially equal depththroughout its width, and a yieldable member positioned in the groovefor engaging the pipe member to retain the flange and pipe member infixed relationship, said yieldable. member having its axis in substantial coincidence with the axisbf the aperture and having itsflange-retaining engagement with the pipe in successive transverseplanes of the pipe member, the depth of the groove being substantiallyequal to the thickness of the yieldable member in radial cross section.

2. As an article of manufacture, a flange having an aperturetherethrough adapted to receive a pipe member, said flange also having ashallow annular groove positioned intermediate the ends of the aperture,the

plane of the bottom of the groove being substantially concentric withthe plane of the aperture wall and of substantially equal depththroughout its width, and a coil spring positioned within the groove,the axis of the coil or coils of the spring being in substantialcoincidence with the axisof the groove and having its ends projectinginwardly beyond the plane of the aperture wall and adapted tofrictionally. engage a pipe member and retain the flange and 'mem: berin fixed relationship, the ends of the spring having engagement with thepipe member in successive transverse planes in the direction of lengthof the pipe member. 3. As an article of manufacture, a flange having anaperture therethrough adapted to receive a pipe member, said flange alsohaving a shallow annular groove, the plane of the bottom wall of thegroove being substantially concentric with the plane of the aperturewall, and a coil spring positioned within the groove and having the axisof its coil or coils in substantial coincidence with the axis of thegroove, said spring having anormal diameter greater than the diameter ofthe bottom wall of the groove to retain the spring under constantcompressive tension, the ends of the spring extending inwardly beyondthe inner peripheral plane of the H subscribed my signature, this the30th day of hIarch, A. D. 1908. v

PHILIP MUELLER. WVitnesses:

GoLDm M. PERRY, JOHN L. WADDELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

